Wrinkled smokers at high risk of lung disease

They found that smokers with pronounced wrinkles are five times more likely than those without marked facial lines to suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes bronchitis and emphysema, Reuters.uk reports.

Photo: Wrinkled smokers at high risk of lung disease

Wrinkled smokers at high risk of lung disease

COPD, a leading cause of death worldwide, is caused by smoking, which also prematurely ages the skin. So researchers at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation in southwest England studied whether there was a link between the two, Sudney morning Herald reports.

After age and the number of years someone had smoked were taken into account, smokers with lined faces were five times more likely to have COPD, according to the BBC news.

COPD begins with a persistent cough and increased mucous. It eventually leads to fatigue, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing as the lungs are destroyed.